Bartomeu explains how Barça coexists with coronavirus: Signings, budgets, public...

Josep Maria Bartomeu has broken his silence this Sunday, and has valued a sinfín of subjects in an interview for 'Sportive World'. The president of the FC Barcelona has reviewed the actuality futbolística and of the club and has confronted to numerous hot questions, so much regarding the rumours that rondan to the staff as to which affect to the directive. Besides, it has referred to the big problem of the last months.

The Catalan has analysed the impact of the crisis of the coronavirus, and has given details on the Barcelona strategy to sustain the planning and pose a recovery after some unavoidable losses. "Already I said before even of the confinement that this would be a year of exchanges in an interview to Santi Nolla in the Circle Ecuestre. Already we saw that there was a pandemia to world-wide level and that it would be a complex summer with exchanges and is fulfilling ", has reflexionado to start with, insisting in a formula that considers key for the reform of the staff.

In his first assessment, has recognised that touches to assume that it is a moment delicate for the entity: "From 14 March we do not have ingresado almost neither a euro. We have left of ingresar 200 millions. 200! Now we are closing the exercise. We have recovered many with reduction of wages and doing ERTE's. We have had to close the shops and the museum, there has not been sale of entrances. We give back the part of the credit of the parties that have not played , but 200 millions is very heavy".

"In our Strategic Plan had planned ingresar 1.100 millions and now ingresaremos 30% less by the Covid. I say it because if somebody thinks that the pandemia does not affect to the Barça is made a mistake. It affects to the big European clubs and the Barça, that is the European club that ingresa more money, is the one who sees more affected", has commented, insisting in that the current reality is not easy to carry for anybody.

In this sense, has referred to the market of signings, and has recalcado that in spite of the speculations of the press, will touch to look for formulas to balance the cost to the maximum. "This market will be complex. Therefore we can not ask to the players that adapt his wages to the new income of the club and invest in footballers. It is incongruous", has sentenced, before decanting by a vision something more optimistic of the subject.

"We have to adapt us to the new situation, but in spite of the reductions the Barça will keep on being leader in income"

The leader has defended with rotundity that the Barça did not happen economic difficulties before the pandemia, and has recalcado that this soon will remain showed: "it is not truth. It has not been able to be this season but carried a level of upper income to the of other big clubs. On 14 March for everything and have had to adapt us to the new situation. And in spite of the reductions will keep on being leaders in income".

"The level of debt of the club is not very high. When it finish the audit to half of August, the economic vice-president Jordi Moix will explain it and will see that we are in levels of normal debt. But there will be a closing with effect Covid, that surely will be negative, and another without Covid, that would be positive. And it is obligation of League and UEFA to do a closing with and without effect Covid", has specified act followed.

Bartomeu, that has aimed to the digital area and to the e-commerce like new sources of income, has warned that it is necessary to think in a process of long recovery, although perhaps no as much as predict some experts: "This pandemia will have effects of two or three years. That anybody think that the next campaign will be fixed. The big financial gurus speak of four years but think that the football will go faster. It is necessary to find a vaccine and that the people recover the confidence to go to the stadiums and travel. That have high purchasing power".

Besides, it has denied a recent news, denying that several sponsors have demanded a renegociación of his agreements: "The shops of the club are opened but the sales are ínfimas. The average of daily visitors to the Museu the past week was of 130-150. To average and small clubs does not affect them so much because they live of the rights of TV and no of commercial income. And here it is necessary to appreciate to the main sponsors like Rakuten, Nike and Beko, that follow supporting to the club comporting of exemplary form and without wanting to renegotiate".

The Barça presiona for the return of the public to the fields

Bartomeu has not been so conclusive when they have asked after him the resumption of LaLiga, and has regretted the absence of viewers: "there was a social and economic subject, although to us has not benefited us neither prejudiced have done an oasis to recover the normality, but hurts me the no assistance of public. It has been sad". In this sense, yes has revealed that the Barça tightens to recover to the public: "Yes, inside what allows the valid rule creating clean spaces and insurances. It has to go back the people with some percentages and distances".